Question 1
(Suggested time—40 minutes. This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)
In the following speech from Shakespeare’s play Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey considers his sudden downfall from
his position as advisor to the king. Spokesmen for the king have just left Wolsey alone on stage. Read the speech
carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how Shakespeare uses elements such as allusion,
figurative language, and tone to convey Wolsey’s complex response to his dismissal from court.